Supporting and packaging means



' Dec. 7, 1954 L. DENSEYN 2,696,322

SUPPORTING AND PACKAGING MEANS Filed Oct. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Low: Derive/7 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Dec. 7, 1954 DENSEN SUPPORTING AND PACKAGING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 9, 1951 Z OU/S .DZHS 2!? INVENTOR. WWW

ATIODNEY United States Patent C) 2,696,322 SUPPORTlNG AND PACKAGING MEANS Louis Densen, Flushing, N. Y.

Application October 9, 1951, Serial No. 250,461

2 Claims. (Cl. 217-52) My invention relates to packaging bulky and fragile articles and more particularly to a suspension securing means for supporting articles.

The packaging of cumbersome and heavy yet fragile articles which has always been a difficult problem, now is rendered increasingly difficult due to the expense and scarcity of packaging materials, of labor, and the high freight rates and the necessity of not overstraining our transportation facilities with excess poundage.

Fragile articles of average size heretofore have been packaged for shipment either by being wrapped in cotton or corrugated cardboard or rested upon cardboard or other supports, and heavier articles have been tightly wedged into a closely fitting framework.

These methods of packaging or packing are expensive in that they either involve the use of expensive space fillers which add to the weight and increase the shipping cost or require the services of skilled framers andinvolve the use of wood or other crating materials. In addition, these methods of packaging do not always guarantee protection for the packed articles as filler materials are compressible and movable and articles packaged by the framework method are quite susceptible to shock and rough handling.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide means of packaging without the use of filling material which will retain and support the article to be packaged free from shock or disturbance.

A further object is to devise a carrying means for holding, supporting and retaining an article in an immovable, suspended position within a framework or container free from shock or disturbance by means of material having tensile strength only.

Another object is to provide an article holder or supporter of tensile strength only which can be simply and easily securedin a container and which will retain the article to be supported free from shock or disturbance.

Another object of the invention is to provide an mexpensive method of packaging which can be advantageously and successfully utilized by unskilled packagers.

A further object is to devise a simple, inexpensive, and extremely strong joint or connection for uniting a strap or piece of material having tensile strength only such as canvas webbing or plastic to a second piece of flexible material of the same general category.

Another object is to devise a method for and a means of pulling tight or tightening and securing a strap end.

I accomplish these and other objects by providing a supporting and retaining device comprised of a flexible close fitting bag or envelope having a plurality of firmly secured opposingly positioned straplike tension elements and encasing the article to be supported within the bag or within a plurality of bags opposingly positioned, and securing the bag or bags by its tension elements within and to a plurality of opposite sides or bars of a case or framework.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description, the accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

On the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view encased in my suspending means and carried in a frame- WOI looking down upon an article a a C6 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the suspending means and framework of one of the bags shown in Fig. 1.

3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a joint or connection between elements of the suspending means shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the joint 6 is a sectional view along the ilne Fig. 7 is a sectional view along the line 7-7 of Fig.

1n the drawing and in the specifications in which like numerals indicate similar elements, a supporting and retaining device 10, is shown suspended from and be,- tween upper and lower cross members 11 and 12, respectively, of a common rectangular framework 13. The framework is provided with strengthening corner plates 14 which also function as bases and cause the lower cross members 12 to rest spaced above the floor or bearing surface.

If desired, the framework can be made into a packing crate or other closed container by positioning boards, tarpaulin or other material about the cross members.

The supporting and retaining device 10 is shown formed of two similar close fitting bags or envelopes 15, each provided with a plurality of side and forward extending strap or tension elements 16 and 17, respectively. The bags are opposingly positioned about the ends and sides of the article 18, which is to be supported, while the tension elements 16 are pulled taut and securely fastened to the side cross members'of the frame, and the corresponding forward extending elements 17 of the bags cross each other and are secured to opposite end frame members. Thus the article 18 is held suspended and immovable by the tension members or straps within the framework and cannot be the recipient of blows or concussions to the frame or crate.

The present type of packaging, although-suitable for general usage, is intended presently for use in connection with extremely heavy articles such as machinery and airplane parts. Thus, each of the straps, the connections or joints 19 which transfer the weight from the bag to the straps, and the anchors 20 which transfer the weight from the straps to the frame members, are each subjected to great stress and must, therefore, be exceptionally strong.

The connections or joints 19 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) are each formed of strap ends 21 and 22, of straps 16 and 17, respectively, and auxiliary strap piece 23, and a stress spreader 24. The central part 25 of the stress spreader is positioned immediately below the strap end 22 and against the outer face of the bag material at the location desired for the joint, and a slot 26 is made through both the bag material, spreader 24 and strap end 22. The strap end 21 and auxiliary strap piece are passed through the slots and are positioned against the under face of the bag material, but extend in opposite directions. The end parts 27 of the spreader are turned over and back upon the strap end 22 and then along the strap 16 and the auxiliary strap piece. Rivets 28 are then forced through and secure together the several thicknesses of material of the strap end 21 or auxiliary strap piece, bag material, central part of the spreader, strap end 22 and end parts 27 of the spreader. Rivets 29 are forced through and secure together the two end parts of the spreader with the strap end 21 and auxiliary strap piece. Thus, the stress in the strap 16 is distributed partially to the auxiliary strap and spreader ends and then transferred by these elements to the bag material. The stress of the strap 17 is distributed through the spreader strap end 21 and auxiliary strap piece to the bag material. The added auxiliary strap piece and spreader permit a better spacing of and the use of a greater number of rivets and result in a wider and more even distribution of the stress and tend to increase greatly the carrying power and lengthen the life of the device.

The connections or joints 30 are formed similar to joints 19, but are not provided with straps 17 and strap shown in Fig. 4.

vent lateral movement than for vertical support.

3 Although I have shown the joints or connections 19 and 30 held together only by rivets, it isp'o'ssible for sewing, gluing or other binding means to be used to secure the elements togetheiwithout departing from the scope of the present invention.

end-31 of either st'ra'p 16*or 175a cere pteee'az and a nail 33. The end 31 of the strap is wound around the core-piece32' andpulled tight and-the'ri the c'or'e piece and end are secured to-the frame by the'nair se'r'ew, bolt or like means. The use of the core piece permits the strap end' to'be tightenedeasily and the nailing of the core piece to the name grips the-strap end securely.

The grip of the strap end by and between the core andframemember materially inereasesthe holding power of the anchor above that of the nail by itself, and prevents the strap end frornbeing' torn away from the nail. I

An anchor 34 (Fig. 7),- whieh is 'a slighflvariation of the anchor 20, is shown securing a strap: end 35 the frame. In the presentcase the strap endis wound around a core 36 and alsoextends about the frame While I have illustrated and described the preferredembodirnent of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself-t0 the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reservedto all changes and modifications comingwithin the scope of the invention as defined in any or all-of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention,--wliat -I claim as new and desire to secure by United States- Letters Patent is:

1. A joinder-of a flexible plane element and'a flexible strap element, comprisedof said plane and strap elements, and in addition an auxiliary strap, a stress spreader, and securing means, said stress spreader positioned on the plane element'and having therewith a slot therethrough, said auxiliary strap secured to the strap and both extending througH'the slot in the spreader and plane element and resting against the plane element and extending in opposing directions, the ends of said stress spreader lying back on its center portion and along the strap and auxiliary strap and the securing means holding adjacent elements together, whereby the stress in the strap is spread over and to alarge areaof-the-plane and its unit eflect is lessened. I

2. A supporting and retaining device comprised of a bag portion, a pluralityof strap elements and a joinder means, said strap elements positioned opposing one another and securedto the'bag by'the joinder means, said joinder means being formed of an auxiliary strap, a stress spreader and securing means, said stress spreader positioned on the bag and having therewith a slot therethrough, said auxiliary strap secured to the strap, and both extending through the slotin the spreader and bag and resting against the under face of the bag and extending in opposing directions, the ends of the stress spreader lying back on its center-portionand" along the strap and auxiliary strap, and the securing means holding adjacent elements together whereby the stress in the strap is spread over a large area of the bag and its effect is lessened.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES'PATENTS Number Name Date 337,367 Brockway Mar. 9, 1886 1,347,643 Mallett'e July 27, 1920 1,385,015 Lombarda July 19, 1921 1,385,224 Orr July19, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Co'u ntry' Date', 500,562 Great Britain Feb. 13. 1929 

